Insists US Has No Say on Who They Give Asylum to

The Mercosur, the common market organization for South American country, has
seen today’s summit meeting focusing almost entirely on US surveillance, and the Obama Administration’s hostility toward member nations offering asylum to Edward Snowden.

NSA surveillance has been a major issue across the world, but nowhere more than in Latin America, where yesterday’s revelations that the US surveillance extended beyond military targets to commercial interests has fueled particular concern.

The US hostility toward granted asylum has also captured more attention in the region, with the forced downing and search of Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane. The Mercosur statement reiterated that nations have a right under international law to grant asylum.

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